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Scientists in Nairobi have discovered a new weapon in the battle against plastic waste: a polystyrene-eating insect.
The material, also known as plastic foam, is widely used in packaging but is hard to break down with traditional recycling methods creating pollutants.
The scientists found larvae of a Kenyan lesser mealworm can chew through the material and break it down in their guts.
It’s the first time an insect native to Africa has been found to break down plastic, though species capable of this have been discovered elsewhere.
The team at Kenya’s International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology hopes to isolate the microbes and enzymes produced by the African insect to create tools that get rid of plastic waste.
